Gift of Gratitude
by HAFanForever
Summary: After Arnold shares his kiss with Helga, the Green-Eyes have a gift to give him in gratitude for helping them: an amulet, just like those of his parents. Cover image is "Eye of the Beholder", a commission artwork made for me by Carossmo on deviantART.


Arnold was so caught up in kissing Helga to thank her for all that she had done for him before and all throughout his adventure in San Lorenzo that he forgot Gerald and his parents were nearby to see the whole thing. After Gerald caught them and gestured to his parents that "now he had seen everything," Miles and Stella looked at each other lovingly, then directed their attention to Arnold.

"Arnold? Could you come here, please?" Miles gestured with his hand, still keeping his other hand on Stella's shoulder.

Arnold ran over to his parents. "What is it, Mom? Dad?"

"The rulers of the Green-Eyes and their daughter are asking for you," Stella answered.

Arnold looked up at his dad. "Um, Dad? Do you or Eduardo know their language? I just feel awkward that I can't speak to them in their language when they also don't speak English."

"Don't worry about it, son. Eduardo will act as the translator."

Miles and Stella led Arnold back to the thrones, which was where the girl queen and her parents were waiting. Helga and Gerald curiously followed Arnold and his parents, but respectfully kept their distance as they walked behind them and finally approached the rulers.

Eduardo was waiting there for the Shortman family to arrive. When they did, Arnold approached the rulers while his parents stayed a short distance behind him. Then Eduardo spoke directly to Arnold, "Arnold, the king, queen, and their daughter wish to speak to you." Before Arnold could ask, Eduardo continued, "…and I will serve as the translator for you."

Arnold nodded, then turned his gaze towards the girl queen and her parents.

"Arnold…" the girl began, then she spoke other words in her native language which poor Arnold did not understand, other than hearing words of "O mashnee wateeb" and "nee-fwash" among her dialogue.

When she was finished, she nodded to Eduardo, who then spoke to Arnold, "The princess, her parents, and their people wish to thank you for helping those infected with the sleeping sickness to reawaken and reunite with their family members."

"Oh," was all Arnold said, before he added, "Well, you're welcome" as he looked at the princess and her parents in the eye. Then he bowed to them respectfully with his hands curled inward, as he saw them do so earlier. The three Green-Eyes bowed to Arnold in return, then the king spoke some words in his native language, followed by his wife doing the same thing.

After they finished speaking, Arnold glanced at Eduardo, waiting for the translation. Eduardo then said, "And to show their gratitude for all your help, Arnold, they have something they wish to give you."

"And what would that be?" Arnold asked.

Before Eduardo could answer, the king presented something from the inside of his robes. Then he gave it to his daughter, who placed it around Arnold's neck. It was a golden yellow amulet in the shape of a large eyeball (which Arnold immediately realized was the main symbol of the Green-Eyes). After she put it on him, the princess and her parents again bowed to Arnold in respect.

Arnold gasped softly and his eyes widened in wonder as he held his new amulet in his hands. Then his parents walked over to him and put their hands on his shoulders as they kneeled down to meet his level.

Miles smiled proudly at Arnold. "It's just like the ones your mom and I have, Arnold."

Arnold smiled at his father, looking at the amulets his parents were wearing around their necks. "I can see that, Dad."

Stella smiled, too. "I guess the Green-Eyes wanted to show their gratitude for your help by giving you one of your own, son."

Just after Stella spoke, Arnold's amulet began to glow. Arnold gasped in awe at what was happening, and his parents did, too. "How can this be?" he asked out loud, not really sure if anyone could give him a proper answer.

"I think this is because you are the Chosen One, Arnold," Eduardo replied. "You have fulfilled the prophecy as the child of the volcano who would come along to save the Green-Eyes from their plight. You have proven yourself as their savior, and for that, they have accepted you as one of them."

"Of course! That must be why the volcano stopped erupting the moment you were born, Arnold!" Miles exclaimed in excitement. "It was a sign that you were destined to become a defender or protector of the Green-Eyes. Maybe it was also a sign that you were meant to become more than that, like a peacemaker or some sort of miracle worker."

Stella pulled Arnold in for a hug. "I'm so, very proud of you, Arnold" she said, and then she kissed the top of his head.

Miles grinned and pulled Arnold into his arms for a hug as well. "So am I, son."

Arnold gave a small laugh. "Thank you, Mom. Thanks, Dad." After his parents let him go, he turned his attention back to the three rulers. "Thank you," Arnold said to them. Eduardo said what Arnold believed was "Thank you" in the language of the Green-Eyes to the rulers. When the princess and her parents spoke again, Eduardo translated, "They have said 'You're welcome', Arnold."

Arnold smiled widely, then he and his parents bowed to the Green-Eyes, who bowed in return. Then the princess walked over to Arnold. "Arnold," she began before she reverted to her native language. She then wrapped her arms around Arnold to give him a hug. Needless to say, Arnold was surprised, but he returned the hug, knowing it would be rude not to do so.

Even from her short distance, Helga could see this hug going on. Opening her eyes in shock, she rapidly became jealous and began to walk over to them. But Gerald saw this happening and quickly grabbed her. "Helga," he said in a firm voice.

"Let go of me, Tall Hair Boy!" Helga said sharply.

"Helga, don't ruin the moment for Arnold. She's just hugging him because she's thankful for what he has done for her and all the other kids. You don't need to get so jealous."

Helga scoffed. "I'm not jealous, Gerald!"

But Gerald, of course, didn't buy it. After letting out an exasperated sigh, he said, "Well, then just don't go over there. If you separate Arnold and the girl, you'll just embarrass him in front of his parents and the rest of the Green-Eyes. Is that something you want to do to Arnold?"

Helga sighed with defeat. She quickly realized that embarrassing Arnold particularly in front of his parents, his long-lost parents, with whom he had just reunited after almost ten years, was the last thing she wanted to do right now. Realizing that he made Helga understand, Gerald let go of her, and Helga stayed in her spot.

Although he was enjoying all of the attention given to him, Arnold looked over where Helga and Gerald were standing. Gerald gave Arnold a thumbs up, while Helga just smiled and waved awkwardly. Then Arnold looked down at his amulet before he looked up at Eduardo and said, "Um, Eduardo?

"Yes, Arnold?"

"What about Helga and Gerald? If it wasn't for their help, I never would have been able to find the Green-Eyes and their city. And it was because of Helga's locket that my parents and all of the Green-Eyed grownups were able to wake up."

"You are right, Arnold," Eduardo said. "Let me speak with the king and queen." So Eduardo did just that for the next few minutes. As he was waiting, Arnold glanced at his parents and each of his sides, and they smiled at one another.

Finally, Eduardo finished speaking with the king and queen, then came back over to the Shortmans. "Arnold, they have agreed to give amulets to your friends for their help. Why don't you go and bring them here?"

Arnold nodded, then ran over to Helga and Gerald. "Hi, guys."

"Hey, lookin' sharp with that amulet, buddy!" Gerald said.

"Yeah, it suits you, Football Head," Helga agreed with a nervous laugh. She still felt awkward about her kiss with Arnold, and even more so that Gerald and Arnold's parents had seen it.

Arnold was feeling the same way, but he put those feelings aside to tell Helga and Gerald why he came over to them. "Listen, guys. The Green-Eyes gave this to me as gratitude for helping them, and I asked them to give you amulets as well."

"Really?" Gerald asked excitedly.

"Oh, Arnold, that's nice of you. But I don't really need one," Helga said in a self-conscious manner.

"Sure you do, Helga. I wouldn't have made it here to the city, found my parents, and woke them up and the Green-Eyes if it weren't for you two." Arnold smiled, then gestured to them. "Come on."

Helga and Gerald closely followed Arnold until they came to the thrones, where everyone was waiting for them. Helga deliberately avoided looking at Miles and Stella, not wanting them to bring up her and Arnold's kiss.

Arnold gestured Helga and Gerald to stand before the royal family, and he took a few steps to stand behind them. Knowing it wouldn't be right to just stand there, Helga and Gerald bowed to the family.

Then Eduardo acknowledged them. "Gerald, Helga, Arnold has told us how you helped him to find the Green-Eyes and reawaken them."

"Eh, it was no big deal," Helga said an uninterested tone of voice.

Gerald nudged her in response, then he said, "Well, Arnold is my best friend, so I was glad to help him."

"And so as a token of their gratitude, the king and queen would like to present you with these amulets," Eduardo continued.

Immediately after Eduardo stopped talking, the king, who held an amulet in his hands, walked over to Gerald, and placed it around his neck, while the queen did the same with Helga. Once they had stepped back, Gerald and Helga looked at their amulets in amazement, just as Arnold did only a short time ago.

"Whoa!" Gerald said, astonished.

"Yeah, wow!" Helga agreed.

Arnold came up behind them and nudged their backs. "Guys, bow to them!" he said, gesturing towards the king and queen. "You should show your thanks to them by bowing."

Knowing Arnold was right, Gerald and Helga bowed to the princess and her parents without a second thought. The royal family bowed in return, then they looked over at Arnold, Miles, Stella, and Eduardo, and bowed to them as well.

Upon seeing all of this action before them, the other Green-Eyes in the city, all of the adults and children, cheered. Then they started chanting Arnold's name once again. "Arnold! Arnold! Arnold!" In response, Arnold, his parents, friends, and the royal family turned towards them, then bowed in respect.

As the chanting continued, Arnold smiled as he looked at his surroundings. By now, he was barely listening to the chants. He just couldn't stop thinking about how much his life had changed over the past few days. Not only had he finally come to San Lorenzo, but Arnold had escaped imprisonment from Lasombra and found the Green-Eyed People and their city. But most especially, Arnold had found his parents, who were indeed alive even after ten years, and finally awoke them, then he admitted his feeling for Helga and kissed her…

Arnold knew that he would never, ever forget this trip, especially tonight. It was the best night of his entire life.


End file.
